Search This Blog

Are you a Phubber?

Speaking to everybody is one’s
own language could be considered one of the best communication skills. An
uphill task it must be as one has to be quite well-versed even with different
terminologies in the same language. Though I can’t claim to have mastered the
skill, I most certainly try it to the best of my ability. However, the other
day, I was just searching for words to (politely) ask my brother to change his
habits of abruptly cutting the call. I was used to the same with my mother.
Anytime I call her, the first thing I tell her is, “Hold the phone.” When I
observed the same pattern with my brother, I was wondering how I would convey
it to him. I would probably say, “Hold the mobile, tab, iphone, note…”

Earlier when there were no phones,
people said, ‘Hold the wire’. Even before, it was “Hold the circuitry’.
Language, being a reflection of the contemporary culture, evolves accommodating
new words. Wait, it’s not evolution of language or communication skills that we
are discussing here. Recently, I came across an interesting word, phubbing and
I loved the word for word’s sake. It’s indeed an innovative term used to
describe ‘snubbing people by using your phone in a social setting and ignoring
people you are actually with’. A Stop
Phubbing is a global campaign launched by an Australian student and it’s
getting global support, mainly from Australia,
US and Britain.
According to campaigners, phubbing is rife and they feel there is a dire need
to end this discourteous behaviour. The campaign leaders find phubbing a
mannerless and rude behaviour.

It is beyond doubt that it’s
insane to be engaged on your phone, incessantly talking, playing games or
texting when you are in the middle of the conservation or attending a family or
friend’s gathering or even at work. This habit irritated me too quite a few
times. Once, a cousin of mine, more of a friend, visited me after many years. I
finished off dinner early thinking we would have a friendly chat after many
long years. However, I saw her continuously tapping her phone. There came a
point where I had stopped talking for a couple of minutes. “You said
something?” she asked. I just nodded my head. Nevertheless, I was tempted to
say I heard her talking a lot, on mobile, though not in person.

Phubbing is not merely irritating
but in some cases, it could be insulting as well. You have to look straight
into the person’s eyes you are conversing with; it’s the basic most rule of
conversation. So, phubbing may also reflect on one’s inability to see eye-to-eye.
It could be the best way to avoid a person. Those who feel out of place are
glued to their devices. When you can’t be part of the talk, your phone can
always help you. Nonetheless, you may find your head buried in the device as
a breather but it’s a pain in the neck for others.

Initially, though I loved that
term’ phubbing’, little had I the idea how alarming it was getting where the
initiative had to be taken to raise voice against it! As the lead campaigner
fears, there would be couples sitting in silence, relationships based on status
update and waning ability of face-to-face communication if phubbing continues.
With or without phones, it had started happening more with social communities.
Yet, there is no need to blame it on technology as it all depends on adequate
usage. Otherwise, there is nothing bad in being part of a social community
unless one keeps poise.

It’s true that lesser the
devices, happier the life! Lesser the clutter, more and more sorted we are!!
Though technological addiction is assuming serious proportions, the question is
who’ll bell the cat? One drunkard cannot warn his counterpart. No sweat, if
phubber or addict sounds too strong, let’s coin a new term, ‘tehnoholics’. Not
bad, no?

-KanChan

Get link

Facebook

Twitter

Pinterest

Google+

Email

Other Apps

Comments

Mast...absolutely true...this is a serious issue and yes, technoholics is the right word for such people. Social media on handset is literally killing minds of young generation. Mazya shaaletalya mulina mi iternetche upayog sangitale and first thing they did, all opened an account with FB and now they keep liking pics, posting sm stupid stuff and i can c them online almost six to eight hours. Don't know how to address this.

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

It was a big day for the
family members of the little one. The
household had some get-together organised. Yes, it coincided with the result of
the toddler! It was probably her first year at the school. Needless to say,
like all, this baby had managed to pass with flying colours. The scorecard was catchy. It enlisted little
lass’ achievement. It also described in detail how the baby participated in
school activities. Come on, after all,
it was a kindergarten. Grades don’t matter. The school knows. Parents know. Yet
there was a scorecard. The family concluded that
finally the little one had learnt to share and also acquired ‘necessary social
skills’. As the guests arrived for the get-together, they also had a look at
the scorecard. All of them said grades don’t matter. Yet they read it carefully.
Some said it’s immaterial. Some said it’s a beginning of a bright future. Some
had a word of caution, here is the real beginning and studies are tough now on.
Yes, all of them were talking a…

Sheer look can get you hooked!
Though it holds true everywhere, we are talking about nicely displayed
delectable delicacies. Mouthwatering dishes tempt you and it’s a temptation you
would barley want to resist. Otherwise, why would Oscar Wilde say, ‘I can resist
everything except temptation’? Of course, there are a few folks who are trying
to resist everything in the enlightening enterprise called control. Thus, those
who have exercised such control or mustered a greater courage of not
surrendering to temptations will not be lured. More than exercising control, I am more
into the natural side of the matter. Food temptation, especially dessert, comes
intrinsically to me and any resistance is naturally ruled out. My love for
‘healthy’ food provides a thoughtful junk to chew along with its nutrients. Of
late, my affair with smoothies lasted a little longer; rather it simply refused
to die down. Smoothies! Connoisseurs know what I am
talking about. A healthy beverage topped with finely chop…

My dear valentine…these three words attract as much attention as other three letters, I love you…everyone wonders who’s someone special to that someone? If the man or woman is married, oh, then curiosity is heightened. If it’s not better half, who is it, dear valentine? Eyebrows are raised when such words come to the virtual public places like social networking, blogs…Thus, there is a lot of clamour and glamor around Valentine’s Day. Swanky celebrations greet us everywhere with love amiss albeit! Love, that four-lettered word has so much attached to it. Sweet memories, sentiments, sensitivity, yes, and also heartbreaks, betrayal, perhaps, bitterness and what not? Some learn their lessons and move on while many have love tooth in the head. Man loves being loved. Who likes to love really is another story. More than loving the other, we end up loving the image of lover we have in our mind. The renouncers, renounce that laborious love for the love of the God as if He is allergic to love. S…

I have been working with The Times of India for couple of years writing in–depth articles on varied subjects. Though it’s all occupied with news, life has so much happening beyond and above the news. Yeah, I have not seen too many summers but most certainly tried my best to tan it out in the fewer ones I have experienced. I am here because I fundamentally like to speak to people and also to hear them out. And why restrict ourselves to flippant talks when we can have more serious and sensible conversations? It can’t be sweet nothings when we think and analyse a little more, we know it’s much more difficult. It’s an open book where we can divulge everything that seems intricate in simpler and uncomplicated terms. Let’s collect beautiful pearls from the vast ocean and we know, we have so much to explore because it’s vast, deep and expansive. And pearls are precious because each of them comes straight from our heart and enriches our lives.